Kalanchoe plant named ‘Reese’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Reese’, characterized by its medium in size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit; medium-sized to small dark green-colored leaves with crenate margins; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized orange-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Reese’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Reese’.

The new Kalanchoe plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Sarah’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,928. The new Kalanchoe was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Sarah’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark in August, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark since October, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Reese’ . These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Reese’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe:

-   -   1. Medium in size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous         growth habit.     -   2. Medium-sized to small dark green-colored leaves with crenate         margins.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized orange-colored flowers.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Sarah’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘ Sarah’ primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Sarah’ have dark orange red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Carmen’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,838. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Carmen’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller vegetative leaves         than plants of ‘Carmen’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Carmen’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe were orange in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Carmen’ were red orange in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Reese’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Reese’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet comprises close-up views of typical vegetative (bottom left) and generative (bottom right) leaves, side (center left) and top (center right) perspective views of typical flowers and a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem (top) of ‘Reese’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hinnerup, Denmark in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were averaged 19° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10 kilolux to 50 kilolux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 10-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 13 weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Reese’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Kalanchoe     blossfeldiana ‘Sarah’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,928. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days             at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth             habit.; very freely flowering with numerous compound cymes;             inverted triangle with rounded crown; appropriate for 9-cm             and 10-cm containers.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 20 cm to 27 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 22 cm.         -   Branching habit.—About six lateral branches develop per             plant; pinching (removal of the terminal apex) is not             required but will enhance lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 4 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 147B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Length, vegetative plants.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width, vegetative plants.—About 5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Length, generative plants.—About 3 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width, generative plants.—About 2 cm to 6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to mucronate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, leathery;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146A; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm             to 6 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single flowers arranged in             compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils; uniform             and freely flowering habit with usually about 40 to 80             flowers per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower             from April to October when grown in an outdoor nursery.             Flower initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial short day/long night conditions (at least 14             hours of darkness) year-round in a greenhouse environment.         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, about 74 days are required; actual time to             flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light             intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about six weeks under interior environmental conditions;             flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm to 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm to 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Lanceolate. Length: About 1.3 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Initially close to 14A to 14B,             with development, close to N30A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl fused at             the base. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Aspect:             Upright to eventually perpendicular to the pedicel. Shape:             Rounded obovate. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N25C; with             development color becoming closer to 24A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to N30A and 23B; color             does not fade with development.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four fused at the base. Length: About             9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146D. Color, mature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About eight             per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic to oblong. Anther size:             About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 22B. Amount of             pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 20A. Gynoecium:             Pistil number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to             N144A. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to N144A.             Ovary color: Close to 144C.         -   Seed.—Seed produced by plants of the new Kalanchoe typically             do not mature and are not viable. Quantity per flower:             About 40. Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Color, immature: Close to 145B. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Reese’ as illustrated and described. 